Name________________________
Writing Tips
for
Ms. Nash’s
English Class
SUGGESTED SENTENCE BEGINNINGS
1.
Two adjectives
Tall, handsome lifeguards flirt.
2.
An appositive
Sam, the tall, handsome lifeguard, flirts.
3.
A parallel structure
Tall and handsome, Sam flirts.
4.
A question
Who could that tall, handsome lifeguard be?
5.
A prepositional phrase
On the high tower that tall, handsome lifeguard lounges . . .
6.
An infinitive
To sit all day in the high tower is the job of the lifeguard.
7.
A gerund
Sitting all day in the high tower, watching the pretty girls, is the lifeguard’s duty.
8.
A perfect infinitive
To have sat in the burning sun all day was a challenge for the guards.
9.
A perfect participle (past participle)
Having sat all day in the tower, the lifeguard left to find a cold drink.
10. A present participle
Smiling at the happy crowds, the lifeguard keeps watch.
11. A perfect gerund
Having sat there all day was a challenge for the guards.
12. A predicate adjective
Tall and handsome was the guard.
13. A predicate noun
A tall, strong man was the guard.
14. Parallel structure, more complex
A tall man and a handsome one, my father loved the ocean.
15. An adverbial clause (introductory adverb)
While he swam in the ocean, the guard kept watching for sharks.
16. An adjective clause
Sam, who had the build of a wrestler, worked as a guard every summer.
17. A noun clause
That he could swim to Catalina had never been proven.
18. An exclamation
Wow! He certainly seems powerful.
TEN WAYS TO VARY A SENTENCE
Begin with an adverb.
Personally, I prefer turkey to roast beef.
(Actually, Surely, Carefully, Somehow, Certainly)
Write a sentence with a compound subject or a compound predicate.
The auto-worker and their union demanded higher wages.
Dad listened and offered advice.
Start with a prepositional phrase.
Near the house stood the tree.
Since 1998, I have lived in Fort Worth.
(on, into, in, with, under, above, near, by, below, after, before, during)
Start with a participial phrase, or a participle.
Considering all angles, the president signed the bill into law.
Hearing the music, the boys asked the girls to dance.
Use a participial phrase or participle after the word modified.
The president, considering all angles, signed the bill into law.
The boys, hearing the music, asked the girls to dance.
Write appositive adjectives after any noun or before a noun.
Tall and straight, the soldier stood at this duty post.
The landing, secluded and quiet, was my assignment.
Begin with an adverb clause.
After I ran the race, I rested.
Before you can come into the house, you must remove your shoes.
Write a sentence with a relative (adjective) clause modifying the subject.
The school, which was built in 1962, has not been remodeled.
A boy who studies is apt to do better in school.
This large dictionary that I am using has a very small print.
Start with the nominative absolute.
The day being cloudy, we cancelled the picnic.
My brother having been ill, none of us could leave the house.
Write the sentence in inverted order.
Down the street came the band.
An interesting man was Mr. Smith.
TONE VOCABULARY
Positive tone/attitude words
lighthearted
complimentary
amused
hopeful
cheery
elated
exuberant
optimistic
compassionate
enthusiastic
passionate
sympathetic
confident
loving
proud
Negative tone/attitude words
angry
condemnatory
indignant
disgusted outraged
furious
bitter
threatening
accusing
inflammatory
irritated
wrathful
Humor/Irony/Sarcasm
scornful
disdainful
mock-heroic
pompous
flippant
critical
facetious
insolent
cynical
sarcastic
sardonic
patronizing
amused
irreverent
taunting
satiric
bantering
ironic
whimsical
condescending
contemptuous
mock-serious
Sorrow/Fear/Worry
somber
mournful
hopeless
elegiac
solemn
staid
melancholic
apprehensive
resigned
sad
serious
disturbed
concerned
Neutral Tone/Attitude Words
formal
candid
baffled
questioning
learned
objective
shocked
detached
urgent
factual
incredulous
reminiscent
sentimental
instructive
didactive
nostalgic
restrained
objective
admonitory
informative
ceremonial
clinical
disbelieving
matter-of-fact
authoritative
INCORPORATING QUOTATIONS
The best proof that a work of literature does what you say it does is textual evidence: words and
sentences you can cite from the poem, story, or play you are discussing. If you say that a character in a
story is evil, can you quote a passage in which he clearly says or does something evil, or a passage in
which a reliable character or narrator talks of his evil? The best support you have as you discuss a
literary work is the text of the work itself.
As you incorporate textual evidence into your discussion through use of quotations, there are some
rules you should keep in mind.
1. Do not overuse quotations. The style of your writing will be better if you incorporate quoted
phrases into your own sentence structure rather than writing a sentence and then quoting a
sentence or poetic line.
The original text: He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
clean favored and imperially slim.
Ineffective: Richard Cory is very polite. He {is} a gentleman from sole to crown. Also he is goodlooking, even regal-looking—“clean favored, and imperially slim.”
Effective: Richard Cory is polite, “a gentleman from sole to crown.” Like a handsome king he is
“clean favored, and imperially slim.”
2. Avoid having two quotations in a row. Your own commentary should bridge the two.
Ineffective: Richard Cory {has} everything going for him. “He is a gentleman from sole to
crown.” “And he is rich—yes richer than a king.”
Effective: Richard Cory has everything going for him. Not only is he a “gentleman from sole to
crown,” he is also “richer than a king.”
3. Work the quotation comfortably into your sentence structure.
Ineffective: “Darkened by the gloomiest of trees” shows just how frightening the forest looked.
Effective: The forest, “darkened by the gloomiest of trees,” is a frightening place.
4. Longer quotations (more than four lines) should be set off from your paragraph in display form:
Dickinson describes the numbness that comes with the shock of the loss of a loved one:
Feeling is all forgotten.
The Nerves sit ceremonious, like Tombs—
The stiff Heart questions was it He, that bore,
And Yesterday, or Centuries before?
Memories best upon the distraught soul.
5. Separate lines of poetry running within your sentence with a slash (/) and preserve the
capitalization of words at the beginning of the line.
The speaker notes that the bruised heart of the mourner wonders “{is} it He, that bore,/And
Yesterday, or Centuries before?”
6. You may alter the punctuation and capitalization of a quotation to conform to the needs of your
sentence structure, as long as you do not alter the meaning of the lines.
Original: He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean favored, and imperially slim.
Altered: Richard Cory, “clean favored , and imperially slim,” is from head to toe a gentleman.
7. If, for clarity or sentence structure, you must alter a quotation, place the alteration in brackets.
Original: With Heaven above and Faith below, I will yet stand firm against the devil.
Altered: a. Goodman Brown claims that “with Heaven above and Faith below, [he] will yet stand
firm against the devil.”
b. Goodman Brown hopes that “with Heaven above and Faith below, [he]will yet stand firm
against the devil.”
8. If you omit material in order to be succinct, mark the omission by three periods, called an ellipsis,
with a space between each (. . .). Note: There is no need to use these routinely at the beginning and
end of your quotation! It is understood that you are lifting passages from a longer work.
Montresor tells us that when it comes to “painting and gemmary, Fortunato . . . is a quack.”
9. Be sure to name the source of the quotation correctly.
-In nonnarrative poetry (poetry in which characters do not appear in a plot), it is correct to say “The
speaker says . . .” not “The poet says . . .”
-When quoting passages of prose narration, it is correct to say “The narrator says . . .” not “the
author says.”
-Identify characters as you quote them.
In Thomas hardy’s “Channel Firing”, God answers the people in their graves with “Ha, ha. It will
be warm when / I blow the trumpet.”
-When quoting dialogue between characters in a play, set it off and begin a new line as you quote
each character. Place the character’s name in front of his line.
Later in the play, Hamlet confronts his mother:
HAMLET: Now, mother, what’s the matter?
QUEEN: Hamlet, thou hast they father much offended.
Transitional Words and Phrases
Transitions are used to make clear the relationships between ideas and to emphasize
major ideas. They vary in length from single words to phrases, and to complete sentences.
Learn to use them in your writing and speaking; learn to spot them when you are reading or
listening. Use them to make your structure obvious.
The following short transitions are used to show the relationship between preceding
and following sentences within paragraphs. The bold-faced words state the type of
relationship shown by each group of transitions. These transitions are almost all
parenthetical and need to be set off by commas in writing.
Additional Items/Examples (adding one thought to another)
moreover
in addition
too
equally important
yet another
what is more
besides
furthermore
next
last
and then
as well
and to this
likewise
first, second, third, etc.
in the first place
again
for example
further
also
finally
nor
and
for instance
Causal Relationship/Conclusion (one idea results from another)
because
therefore
yet
thus
accordingly
it follows that
and yet
since
consequently
for this reason
as a result
in short
here again
in like manner
in the same way
the same as
similarly
likewise
like
have in common
then
but
in conclusion
to sum up
Comparison (similarities)
at the same time
a similarly
same
as well as
since
sameness
both
too
Contrast (differences)
but
on the contrary
otherwise
unalike
after all
whereas
the reverse
however
to the contrary
nevertheless
in spite of
even though
differ
while
one the other hand
in contrast to this
conversely
still
notwithstanding
while this may be true
unless
dissimilar
yet
though
granted
although
instead
contrary to
Conditional
this being so
under the circumstances
otherwise
if
nevertheless
though
although
even though
TRANSITION WORDS
CONTRAST
but
however
yet
or
nevertheless
conversely
nor
rather
whereas
though
on the one hand
on the other hand
while
on the contrary
by contrast
in contrast
even though
EXAMPLE
occasionally
usually
often
frequently
especially
principally
namely
significantly
indeed
for example
for instance
first of all
for one thing
more important
to illustrate
specifically
in particular
TIME
before
earlier
formerly
afterward
later
subsequently
presently
soon
shortly
now
then
after a while
at last
in the meantime
in the past
until now
meanwhile
ADDITION
and
also
furthermore
first
second
third
next
other
besides
moreover
last
again
finally
in the first place
in the second place
in the third place
what is more
at last
next to
COMPARISON
similarly
likewise
like
as
at the same time
in the same way
in like manner
CONCESSION
doubtless
surely
certainly
naturally
granted that
although this may be true
no doubt
I concede
I admit
RESULT
then
therefore
thus
hence
so
consequently
as a result
all in all
REPETITION
again
as has been pointed out
to repeat
in other words
once again
PLACE
here
there
elsewhere
above
below
behind
beyond
nearby
farther on
to the right
in the background
opposite to
adjacent to
CONCLUSION
finally
then
thus
hence
therefore
so
in conclusion
to sum up
to summarize
to conclude
in short
it is clear that
clearly
CONJUNCTIONS
COORDINATING
For
And
Nor
Boys
Or
Yet
So
(FANBOYS)
(*always preceded with a comma!!!)
SUBORDINATING
after
although
as
as long as
as much as
as though
because
before
how
if
in order that
provided
since
so that
than
that
though
unless
until
when
whenever
where
while
furthermore
however
instead
likewise
meanwhile
moreover
nevertheless
otherwise
therefore
thus
COMPOUND SENTENCES
A compound sentence is a sentence that contains two insubordinate (independent) clauses. An
insubordinate clause contains both and noun and a verb and can stand alone.
In a compound sentence, the two insubordinate clauses are joined by a comma and a
coordinating conjunction. (See previous page for FANBOYS)
The students worked diligently, and knowledge was their reward.
COMPLEX SENTENCES
A complex sentence is a sentence that contains one insubordinate clause and one or more
subordinate (dependent) clauses. A subordinate clause is a group of words containing a subject
and a verb that cannot stand by itself.
MAIN CLAUSE
You can stay
This is the tool
SUBORDINATE CLAUSE
until the bell rings.
that you need.
SUBORDINATE CLAUSE
If the rain continues,
When the bell rings,
MAIN CLAUSE
the game will be called.
students spring into action.
COMPOUND-COMPLEX SENTENCES
A compound-complex sentence contains two insubordinate clause and a subordinate clause.
I + I + S OR I + S + I OR S + I + I = CP/CX sentence
The students worked diligently because they wanted high grades, and knowledge was
Insubordinate clause
subordinate clause
insubordinate
their reward.
Clause
OR
Because they wanted high grades, the students worked diligently, and knowledge was
their reward.
OR
Knowledge was the students’ reward because they wanted high grades and worked
diligently.
REFERENCES FOR WRITING
ADJECTIVE CLAUSES begin with relative pronouns:
who
whom
whose
which
NOUN CLAUSES begin with other introductory words:
how
what
whatever
whoever
whomever
why
that
that
whether
which
whom
who
ADVERB CLAUSES begin with subordinating conjunctions (see page 9 for more):
after
as soon as
in order that
until
although
as though
since
when
as
because
so that
whenever
as far as
before
than
where
as if
even though
though
wherever
as long as
if
unless
while
Helping verbs:
is
have can
might does was
shall
had
Substitutes for very:
intensely
exceedingly
richly
mightily
chiefly
shockingly
will
may
were be
do
am
has
being been are
bitterly
powerfully
slightly
surely
infinitely
incredibly
Dead words (find substitutions!):
get
very your good lots
fine fun
every the end
well
so
could should
especially
severely
fully
great got
nice
would
unusually
truly
immeasurably
you
just
(*a lot is TWO words, not one)
ALL CONTRACTIONS (won’t, I’d, we’ll)
ALL ABBREVIATIONS (etc., o.k., CA)
ALL SYMBOLS (&)
Slang: awesome, cool, fine, totally, rad, raspy
a lot
Prepositions:
about
along
behind
beyond
for
near
over
to
upon
above
among
below
by
from
of
since
toward
with
Linking verbs:
is
were
am
be
was
been
across
around
beneath
down
in
off
past
under
within
appears
tastes
grows
turns
remains
sounds
against
at
beside
during
into
on
through
until
without
after
before
between
except
inside
out
throughout
up
feels
seems
are
continues
becomes
being
warm
slippery
gritty
pulpy
hairy
steamy
mushy
satiny
dry
fuzzy
Sensory Words
Touch:
cool cold
damp wet
oily
crisp
sandy smooth
dull thin
feathery
Taste:
tangy
unripe
oily
mellow
fruity
Smell:
sweet
acrid
gaseous
heady
stench
rancid
icy
fleshy
elastic
sharp
fragile
furry
lukewarm
rubbery
leathery
rough
tender
tepid
tough
silky
thick
prickly
gingery
raw
buttery
sugary
vinegary
hot
alkaline
salty
crisp
burnt
medicinal
bitter
ripe
overripe
fishy
bittersweet
bland
spoiled
peppery
flat
tasteless
rotten
spicy
hearty
sour
minty
stagnant
tempting
savory
earthy
acidy
fragrant
aromatic
putrid
fishy
sickly
pungent
perfumed
damp
sour
scented
burnt
mildewed
fresh
spoiled
odorous
mouldy
reeking
rotten
gamy
musty
sharp
spicy
dank
piney
Sounds:
crash
band
shout
bawl
stopm
clash
bedlam
melody
sigh
patter
bleat
still
thud
smash
yell
rage
stamp
clamor
hubbub
inaudible
murmur
hum
peep
speechless
bump
explode
whistle
blare
noise
tumult
blatant
piercing
whisper
mutter
buzz
mute
thump
roar
whine
rumble
discord
riot
deafening
rowdy
whit
snap
zing
faint
boom
scream
squawk
slam
jangle
racket
raucous
disorderly
rustle
hiss
gurgle
inaudible
thunder
screech
bark
clap
sresp
breawl
pandemonium
earsplitting
twitter
crackle
swish
melody
Sight:
flashy
branching
thin
scalloped
flared
tubular
swollen
jutting
fiery
fragile
miniature
frightened
hardy
orderly
exhausted
worn
dull
formal
twiggy
shapely
ruffled
oval
hollow
lumpy
irregular
blazing
pale
timid
terrified
strong
straight
tired
old
drab
frail
split
winged
frilled
conical
rotund
clustered
proportioned
verdant
pasty
shy
hysterical
healthy
curved
ugly
used
muddy
elegant
broken
shapeless
crimped
cylindrical
chubby
padded
angular
fresh
sickly
fearful
tall
robust
loose
cheap
tied
stout
scrolled
skinny
rolled
crinkled
wiry
portly
tufted
triangular
clean
small
tearful
lean
sturdy
crooked
messy
packed
wide
tampering
square
unruffled
calm
sunny
pleasant
pendulous
wild
scrubbed
tiny
nervous
slender
lively
awkward
shabby
rigid
heavy
SUBSTITUTION WORDS
COLORS:
brown
sandy
almond
amber
tawny
hazel
cinnamon
nutmeg
chocolate
coffee
rust
blue
sapphire
delft
porcelain
turquoise
aqua
peacock
white
snowy
milky
marble
cream
ivory
oyster
pearl
silver
platinum
gray
ashed
dove
steel
black
jet
ebony
licorice
purple
lavender
lilac
mauve
plum
mulberry
pansy
violet
fuchsia
magenta
green
celery
mint
apple
lime
emerald
Fast:
hurry
run
scamper
Slow:
creep
saunter
sneak
crawl
loiter
lumber
plod
stray
yellow
beige
buff
straw
peach
apricot
butter
buttercup
lemon
chartreuse
citron
canary
orange
gold
topaz
ochre
mustard
tangerine
persimmon
skip
slouch
slink
red
rose
pink
salmon
coral
raspberry
strawberry
tomato
currant
crimson
vermillion
flame
ruby
dart
bend
stalk
scramble
tiptoe
edge
TRANSITION WORDS
CONTRAST
but
however
yet
or
nevertheless
still
nonetheless
conversely
nor
rather
whereas
though
on the one hand
on the other hand
while
on the contrary
by contrast
in contrast
even though
at the same time
COMPARISON
similarly
likewise
like
as
at the same time
in the same way
in like manner
PLACE
here
there
elsewhere
above
below
behind
EXAMPLE
occasionally
usually
often
frequently
especially
specifically
mainly
principally
namely
significantly
indeed
for example
for instance
first of all
for one thing
more important
most important
to illustrate
in particular
in general
TIME
before
earlier
formerly
afterward
later
subsequently
presently
soon
shortly
meanwhile
simultaneously
now
then
after a while
at last
at that time
in the meantime
in the past
until now
CONCESSION
RESULT
doubtless
then
surely
therefore
certainly
thus
naturally
hence
granted that
so
no doubt
consequently
I concede
as a result
I admit
all in all
although this may be true
CONCLUSION
beyond
finally
nearby
then
farther on
thus
to the right
hence
in the background
therefore
opposite to
so
adjacent to
in conclusion
ADDITION
and
also
furthermore
first
second
third
next
other
besides
too
likewise
moreover
last
again
finally
in addition
in the first place
in the second place
in the third place
what is more
as well
at last
next to
REPETITION
again
as has been pointed out
to repeat
in other words
once again
to sum up
to summarize
to conclude
in short
it is clear that
clearly
ACTION WORDS
aching
bashing
bubbling
beeping
beaming
blistering
blinking
blaring
blinding
battering
bickering
babbling
crowing
clucking
creeping
crackling
coughing
clanking
chugging
chatting
clucking
crunching
cackling
chanting
crooning
dribbling
dazzling
drifting
dribbling
dancing
engulfing
entertaining
flailing
fuming
floating
flowing
flapping
flaring
flittering
flopping
flickering
glistening
grinding
gunning
gliding
glaring
glowing
glittering
glazing
groaning
hooting
hissing
inviting
jumping
jerking
kissing
kicking
laughing
leaping
lighting
loaning
mumbling
mocking
moaning
munching
nailing
nicking
popping
pouncing
pattering
piling
pounding
plopping
peeping
quacking
reflecting
roaring
rattling
rumbling
shimmering
shrieking
sloshing
sputtering
sprinkling
slapping
sizzling
soaring
spinning
squawking
sparkling
smoking
splashing
streaking
smashing
scolding
sailing
trilling
thumping
thundering
twinkling
whipping
whisking
whirring
wailing
winking
wheezing
whistling
yapping
yelling
zooming
SYNONYMS FOR SAID
acknowledged
acquiesced
added
addressed
admitted
admonished
advised
advocated
affirmed
agreed
alleged
allowed
announced
answered
approved
argued
assented
asserted
assumed
assured
asked
attested
avowed
babbled
bantered
bargained
began
boasted
called
claimed
commented
complained
confided
contradicted
cried
debated
decided
demurred
denied
denounced
described
dictated
directed
disclosed
disrupted
divulged
drawled
droned
elaborated
emphasized
enjoined
entreated
enunciated
estimated
exclaimed
explained
exposed
expressed
faltered
feared
foretold
fumed
giggled
grinned
grunted
held
implied
indicated
inferred
instructed
itemized
laughed
lectured
lied
maintained
mentioned
mimicked
moaned
mumbled
murmured
mused
muttered
nagged
narrated
noted
notified
objected
observed
opined
orated
ordered
petitioned
pleaded
pled
pointed out
prayed
predicted
proclaimed
professed
prompted
propounded
publicized
quibbled
ranted
reassured
reciprocated
refuted
related
remonstrated
repeated
replied
restated
resumed
retorted
returned
revealed
roared
ruled
sanctioned
soothed
scolded
screamed
shouted
shrieked
snapped
sneered
sobbed
solicited
specified
spoke
sputtered
stammered
stated
stipulated
stormed
stressed
suggested
taunted
thought
threatened
told
twitted
urged
uttered
vowed
wailed
warned